Month: July 2012

1. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said something stupid last week, this week and, I predict, will do the same next week. It's something that happens when you take the oath of office in that town. Or any town, for that matter.

2. Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-a never even mentioned homosexuals in the comments being taken as homophobic. What this reveals is that the pro-homosexuality movement could care less about truth and much more about bullying into submission people who disagree with them.

3. It's a fast-food restaurant, for crying out loud. OK, good iced tea, but still …

4. It took me years to figure out the name. I think that's a much bigger issue.

The third pillar of Islam is sometimes translated as charity but this word does not properly cover the meaning or implications of this pillar.

The Arabic word for this pillar is “Zakah.” It is better translated as “purification and growth.” It is the financial obligation that God has placed on all Muslims who have been blessed with means above a defined amount. As such, zakah is far beyond just charity. It is actually a social contract between those who have and those who do not.

The Five Pillars of Islam: Alms Giving

The third pillar of Islam is sometimes translated as charity but this word does not properly cover the meaning or implications of this pillar.

The Arabic word for this pillar is “Zakah.” It is better translated as “purification and growth.” It is the financial obligation that God has placed on all Muslims who have been blessed with means above a defined amount. As such, zakah is far beyond just charity. It is actually a social contract between those who have and those who do not.

Charity in Arabic is better translated as “Sadaqah.” It is giving, for the sake of God, one’s money, time, effort or consideration for the benefit of others even if it is affectionately placing food in your spouse’s mouth as the Prophet, peace be upon him, once said.

Paying the Zakah, on the other hand, is a recognition that any wealth that an individual has was bestowed on him or her from God and it comes with an obligation to use that wealth responsibly. A Muslim is not allowed to buy into the argument that they have “earned” or “deserved” their wealth and are entitled to spend it as they please no matter what.

Zakah is a mechanism of purification. It is to be given with a profound sense of humility that God has given us blessings beyond enumeration that have enabled us to be where we are in life. God alone determines where and when we come into life and where and when we exit it. How we obey Him, deal with each other and take care of the world around us is ultimately how He will judge us.

The Islamic social contract demands that those given more take care of those given less. It is literally an act of worship for Muslims. Those who fail to pay this sum are committing a major sin just as if they violated any of the other 4 pillars of Islam knowingly.

Muslims calculate the amount they must give each year by assessing their total wealth and paying a small percentage of that to institutions, organizations, or people that are authorized by Islamic scholars as legitimate distributors or recipients of these monies. Ideally, the government would collect and distribute these sums and, historically, this was once the case.

However, in the modern era, Muslims typically give these monies to Islamic institutions that provide for the needy around the world or in their own back yards. An example of the former would be the organization called Islamic Relief and of the latter would be the many mosques around the world.

Having said that, beyond fulfilling the required duty of zakah, Muslims are encouraged to do charitable acts every day of their lives and as much as possible.

As the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon, once said, “Charity is a necessity for every Muslim." He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity." The Companions of the Prophet asked: "What if he is not able to work?" The Prophet said: "He should help the poor and needy." The Companions further asked: "What if he cannot do even that?" The Prophet said: "He should urge others to do good." The Companions said: "What if he lacks that also?" The Prophet said: "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also an act of charity."

Tim Keller’s teaching on what constitutes true belief in Christ is off-base.

As a Jew who believes Jesus is the messiah, I’m used to criticism from both Jews and Christians: Jews because the overwhelming majority of them don’t believe Jesus is the messiah and that he doesn’t meet the qualifications for messiah, and Christians because I keep, as well as I can, both biblical laws such as the Sabbath and dietary restrictions as well as Jewish traditions. (Actually, I even get criticism from other messianics for how I do this, as well.)

I’ve gotten to the point, after 12 years of being in this position, where I can pretty much respond in love, although I do still, unfortunately, have my bad moments. However, the criticism that still gets to me, almost without exception, is the claim that by keeping these laws, I am somehow denying the saving power of Christ, or denying His resurrection.

I have been told the latter by a local minister whom I hold in high regard. I’ve recently heard it again from Tim Keller, a popular evangelical author and pastor who recently said the following. He was responding to accusations that Christians are inconsistent in the application of Scripture by applying laws against homosexuality but not laws against eating pork, working on the seventh day, etc.:

One way to respond to the charge of inconsistency may be to ask a counter-question: "Are you asking me to deny the very heart of my Christian beliefs?" If you are asked, "Why do you say that?" you could respond, "If I believe Jesus is the resurrected Son of God, I can't follow all the 'clean laws' of diet and practice, and I can't offer animal sacrifices. All that would be to deny the power of Christ's death on the cross. And so those who really believe in Christ must follow some Old Testament texts and not others."

Apparently, then, that means that I don’t “really believe in Christ.” And that’s really offensive (and untrue). I understand that Mr. Keller doesn’t agree that even believing Jews, at the least, should keep all of the sign commandments such as Shabbat, dietary laws, festivals, etc. I know this is the overarching belief of Christians and I can understand it, although I disagree with it. I would never go so far as to question their belief in Christ, however, because I can see the fruit in their lives.

And this is, perhaps, one of the dangers that James warned about in his epistle (2:14-17), one of the things that irritated Reformers such as Martin Luther (and Tim Keller):

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such “faith” able to save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, and someone says to him, “Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!” without giving him what he needs, what good does it do? Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead.

Mr. Keller here is basing one’s faith in Messiah on doctrine, but not on fruits. The reality is that it takes both to be considered a believer.

As for the details of Mr. Keller’s teachings regarding purity and dietary laws, which he doesn’t appear to understand too well, you’d do well to read a blog entry by Daniel Lancaster of First Fruits of Zion or listen to his sermon responding to this type of interpretation of Torah.

(The short answer to Mr. Keller's comments on the purity laws and sacrifices? The Temple isn't standing. As for the kosher laws, I'd encourage him to study the directives of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 for their application to Gentile believers.)